Fighter
by Suilaid
Summary: Jhehnna, a young Nord with a grudge against the world ends up in a prison cell with no idea how or why. Given the opportunity to escape and taking it sets off a chain of events that throws her into a crisis only she can resolve.
1. Prologue: beginnings

Time and space became mundane and irrelevant, seeming to stretch into an expanse so vast it was nearly endless. She floated higher into the void, trying to grasp at something with matter, and she reached out at nothing, feeling nothing. Her hands desperately tried to hold on to _something,_ to keep herself from falling, unable to see and yet seeing at the same time. Light, faded at first, then increasing in brightness and intensity shone all around her, and she looked down to see her body all together gone, she was nothing, and everything all wrapped up into nothingness again, and the lights reached out to brush her face, warming her. She heard murmurs of voices. Whispers of things she neither understands nor could she comprehend and yet they sounded familiar and foreign together at once. It was a cacophony of feelings and sounds and lights, so intense and real and _not _real, she cried out in fear and in awe.

And then it stopped. The lights dissipated with a flash and she felt herself falling, unable to see where she was falling _to. _


	2. My Ghost will rest easy

Jhehnna jerked awake, moving forward so quickly her vision swam and she clumsily fell forward, smacking her head on the cold and dirty stone floor with a loud crack. Laughter, a man's voice, drifted towards her and she looked up, glaring and rubbing her aching head; wondering who was taking pleasure in her pain. The irons clamped around her wrists clanged loudly when she reached out with one hand towards the nearby wooden chair, not knowing the other would follow. The man laughed again, watching Jhehnna while she stared at the restrains, frowning. She also looked down, noting she wore not the clothing she should have been, but instead wore an itching set of rags. The other prisoner cackled quietly, all too amused, and Jhehnna braced her hands on the floor and pulled herself up. Her head still ached, from the fall and from the bizarre dream that had occurred before abruptly waking up, and the man's laughter thoroughly pissed her off. She walked over to the entrance of her cell to get a better look at him.

"_Shut up,_" she hissed, wrapping her pale hands around the cold black metal of the gate, fixing him with an icy glare. "You think you're so funny but you're every bit as stuck as I am."

"You're going to die in here," The man replied, a Dunmer by his blue toned skin and beady red eyes. He too wore nothing more than rags except his hands were not bound, and he stood in the cell directly across from Jhehnna with a gloating smile. "Bet you're wishing you were back in Skyrim with the rest of your stupid kind!"

He laughed again, moving back as Jhehnna growled and reached out to him though she could not have touched him if she wanted to. "Nobody cares about you, you'll rot in here all alone you slow minded Nord."

"You son of—"

Footsteps echoed from the right where a set up stairs led up to the next floor, and torchlight flickered on the walls.

"You hear that?" The Dunmer man called gleefully, "The guards are coming… for you!"

Moments later an looking Imperial woman appeared. Behind her stood an aging man wearing a set of deeply colored purple robes with red and gold patterning and a fluffy white collar, flanked by two more guards.

"No, they're dead…I know it." Jhehnna could just make out the voices, as she peered curiously through the bars.

"Lock the door behind us. We're almost there—"

She stopped, a look of surprise on her harsh face. "What's this prisoner doing here?" She barked. "I thought I told them this cell is off limits!"

"A-a mix up with the watch—"

"Doesn't matter, get this gate open."

The woman glared at the Jhehnna in her cell. "Stand back prisoner," she called to her, "We won't hesitate to kill you if you get in our way."

Jhehnna retreated to the corner, crossing her arms and glaring at the Imperial while the gate was unlocked pushed it open with a loud squeak.

Everyone filed into the cell, which was dusty and cold, and the Imperial moved towards the right wall and started searching for something. Behind the strange man in the robes the Dunmer stood angrily with his face pressed against the bars, agitated that it had not been his cell they entered for it appeared Jhehnna would not be dragged off to her death.

"Ah," she said, "there it is." The guard pressed a particular stone on the wall and at once they shifted and moved until an opening appeared. Jhehnna stared with a mixture of curiosity at the scene, wondering if she could have _ever _figured that out herself.

"Let us keep moving sire," one of the men spoke, walking towards the hole in the wall.

"Wait," the man replied, turning to Jhehnna, his voice was deep and baritone. He walked up towards her, staring directly into her eyes, which unsettled her. Usually it was her own strikingly white-blue eyes that caused people to squirm under her brooding gaze, but something about the man made her slowly lower her arms and stare back at him; slightly surprised by the intensity of his attention.

"I've seen you… let me see your face." He said simply, stepping closer. The woman was Nord in appearance, her dirt smudged skin almost as white as her hair, which was long and messy, and darker than normal from the lack of cleanliness in the dungeons. She looked at him with equal interest; noticing his gray eyes stared back at her with a haunting expression.

"Who are you?" Jhehnna whispered, glancing at the guards and noticing for the first time they did not wear normal Imperial guards uniforms. Her head still ached, and her thoughts were muddled so she did not see that detail right away.

"I've seen you in my dreams," he continued. "Then…the stars are right." His voice trailed off, and sadness overcame his features. "This is the day."

"Wait, what's going on?" Jhehnna asked, urgently.

"Assassins have attacked my sons, and I am next. My guards, the Blades, they are taking me through a secret escape route… by chance that leads through your cell."

Jhehnna thought that it probably wasn't a coincidence if he had seen her in a dream and now they stood before each other during a very bleak time.

"Who are you?" Jhehnna asked again, glancing around at the guards, which were now known to her as the Blades. They fidgeted anxiously, and the one woman opened her mouth to speak and then changed her mind, huffing angrily. She had an inkling suspicion she knew who this man was.

"I am your Emperor, Uriel Septim—"

"Why am I here?" Jhehnna cut him off, not caring that the old man was indeed the Emperor of Tamriel. She had already put two and two together, blades and a royally dressed man looking for a secret route to go by unseen. "I don't understand what I'm doing here."

In fact, Jhehnna had no recollection of doing anything that warranted an arrest, and it angered her that she had no idea what had happened prior to waking up in a cell.

"Perhaps the Gods have placed you here so that we may meet."

Jhehnna frowned, unimpressed with his answer, and opened her mouth to speak when the woman spoke up.

"I'm sorry sire," she interjected, "But we _have _to keep moving."

Uriel turned towards the escape route and started walking towards it. Before he went through the entrance he looked back at Jhehnna who stood in the same spot, utterly confused.

"As to what you have done," he said gravely, "It does not matter. That is not what you will be remembered for."

Feeling no better, Jhehnna watched Uriel follow the blades, and he disappeared out of sight.

"Don't close this, it cannot be opened be opened from the other side." Jhehnna's hearing perked up, and as the footsteps started to fade away she walked over to the open wall.

"Looks like you're the only one who's going to rot, my dear," Jhehnna called out to the Dunmer in a falsely sweet voice, laughing at him when he scowled and turned away from her. She stepped into the opening and walked down a short ways, entering into what seemed like a ruin, or another... forgotten part of the city. She spotted the Blades and Uriel not far ahead, just turning the corner from a narrow tunnel, and she jogged to keep up. She remained far enough away that they did not detect her and most likely send her back or killed.

As they reached a more open space, though the ceiling was low and pillars made it hard to maneuver, three figures dressed in silver and red armor burst from their hiding places, and shouts echoed towards Jhehnna; who came running. She watched one of the men advance towards the Imperial woman and she was cut down, while the two other blades defended the emperor. The figure that had killed the woman made to attack Uriel but Jhehnna rushed forward, and without a weapon, grabbed the figure around his neck and threw him back, knocking him against the wall. She slammed her body into him, keeping him there while she bashed the hand holding his sword against the wall until he dropped it, yelling muffled curses at her with his face pressed painfully into the stonewall.

She kicked the sword away and let go of him, ducking as he swung his uninjured arm at her and reaching for the sword before he could. Jhehnna spun around and grabbed the man's shoulder, and the sound of flesh being split was heard while she closed her eyes and ran him through with his blade. The figure fell to the floor and a red burst of dust exploded from him, and as he fell to the ground his armor was replaced with a blood red robe. Jhehnna's face contorted into a mixture of relief and guilt, and she turned away from the corpse; killing was not an activity she took pleasure in.

"Are you alright Sire?" One of the men called, looking around for any signs that there were more of the mysterious figures lurking in the shadows. One of the blades knelt down beside the Imperial, checking for a pulse.

"Captain Renault?" Uriel replied, stepping forward.

"The captain is dead, but sire we must keep moving."

The men ignored Jhehnna as they continued to make their way through the underground tunnels, and only Uriel cast a knowing look at her before continuing as well. Jhehnna knelt down beside the dead Captain Renault and sheathed her fallen sword, as well as taking a few other items she found on her body. She felt no sadness for the woman; she had never met her before this day, but although she had disliked Renault admitted her death was undeserved. She gripped the katana in her hand and murmured an awkward prayer her mother had once taught her, before turning away.

**~ø~**

Jhehnna followed the three men as they moved swiftly through the labyrinth of turns, still keeping her distance, and only interfering once or twice when the annoying red and silver clad figures burst out from their hiding places and attacked them. They reached another room and one of the Blades walked up to a gate, cursing.

"They've barred the gate!"

"Hey, there's that prisoner again." One of the Blades turned to Jhehnna, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. "She might be working with one of the Assassins, we should kill her!"

"No!" Jhehnna and Uriel exclaimed at the same time, and Uriel stepped towards one of the men.

"Baurus, she is not one of them, she can help us. She _must _help us."

Uriel turned to Jhehnna, who stood with tense shoulders and her hand near the hilt of her sword, an untrusting look in her eyes.

"They do not understand why I trust you," Uriel murmured to the woman, sighing. "They have not seen what I've seen."

"What have you seen?" Jhehnna asked, facing him.

"How can I explain," Uriel groaned, wiping his weary face, his eyebrows furrowed while he thought.

"Listen," he continued, looking up at Jhehnna. "You know the Nine? How they guide our fates with an invisible hand?"

"Yes," Jhehnna replied stiffly, uncomfortable with the subject. She had no care for The Nine and people's silly beliefs; she put faith in no one but herself, for she was the only one who could protect her.

"I've served the Nine all my days, and I chart my courses by the cycles of the heavens—"

"Uriel please," Jhehnna raised her hand. "This is not the time for giving me a lesson on the Nine Divine. I am not so stupid that I cannot see how urgent it is you get to safety."

"What is your birth sign, child?" Uriel continued, as if she had not said anything.

"Mother said… she said I was born under the sign of the warrior. But I disagree. I feel no sign."

"The signs I read show the end of my path. My death is necessary—"

"And you would do nothing?" Jhehnna replied angrily, balling her hands into fists. "You would wait idly by for that time to come instead of fighting till your dying breath?"

"You are so young, and full of so much anger. But there is also a desire in you to live, which is the strongest."

"Of course I want to live," Jhehnna mumbled, looking away. "Life is a gift, one that can be taken in an instant, and shouldn't be thrown around lightly."

"My time will come when my time will come." Uriel replied softly, and Jhehnna looked back up at the Emperor.

"And what of me?" she whispered.

"Your stars are not mine, the warrior will lead you on the road to destiny."

Jhehnna snorted, shaking her head. "I have no reason for destiny, it is no concern of _mine._"

"I cannot see your fate, nor do my dreams grant me opinions of success. Their compass ventures not beyond the doors of death."

"Doors which you gladly welcome," Jhehnna retorted, confused and bothered by the man's words.

"In your face, child," Uriel reached up to cup Jhehnna's cold cheek, staring intently with his clear gray eyes. "I behold the sun's companion. The dawn of Akatosh's bright glory may banish the coming darkness." The wrinkles around his eyes creased together as he smiled sadly at her.

Jhehnna could only stand there while he spoke, the feeling of his warm aging palm on her cheek. He looked at her in the loving way a grandfather would look upon his grandchild, with such pride and expectation for the future. Her throat constricted tightly; she had never experienced anything like it from a man.

"With such strong hope," he continued, his deep and wise voice filled with emotion. "And with the promise of your aid, my heart is satisfied."

"Aren't you afraid to die?" She asked quietly.

"No trophies of my triumphs precede me. But I have lived well, and my ghost shall rest easy."

"I do not think you should go so _easily_," Jhehnna whispered, breaking contact with Uriel, wanting so desperately to persuade the man before her that he should fight until the very end. The two blades stood nearby, and having watched all that transpired, saw that Uriel knew something about the mysterious prisoner that they did not.

"Go check out that other way, see if it leads anywhere." Baurus instructed to the other Blade, who did as he was told. Retuning, the man shook his head.

"Dead end," he spoke to Baurus, "It's a trap!"

"You there, do something useful and take the Emperor over there. Guard him with your life. We will see what we can do with this gate."

Jhehnna nodded, and led Uriel down the hall into another room, which was indeed a dead end. Uriel turned to face Jhehnna, knowing he had only minutes left.

"There's something I have to tell you…" he started, images of his own death flashing before his mind. Down the hall the clashing of steel could be heard, and raised voices echoed over to them. "And there isn't much time…"


	3. To the Priory

"What is it?" Jhehnna asked nervously, her eyes darting around the room while the clashing of swords echoed around her.

"I'm going to die soon, and I need you to find my son." Uriel reached up and removed the large jewel necklace that hung around his neck, handing it to the Nord. "Take the Amulet of Kings to Jauffre in Weynon Priory, tell him Martin will be in danger. He will understand."

"Wait, hang on—"

"There is no time to explain Jhehnna!" Uriel pressed the amulet into her hands and gripped her shoulder tightly. "You must do this for me. You alone will save Cyrodiil from the jaws of Oblivion, I have faith."

"Uriel…" Jhehnna began, when the sound of sliding stone was heard behind the Emperor and a flash of red alerted caught Jhehnna's eyes. Before she could wrench the man back and pull him protectively behind her there was a sickening crunch of bone being broken, and a shiny silver blade came out from Uriel's chest, drenched in his own blood.

"Uriel!" Jhehnna cried, grabbing the man's shoulder and slowly lowering him to the ground as he fell toward her, and quickly turned to the attacker, drawing the sword she had taken from Captain Renault.

"You bastard!" She cried, and swung the sword fast and hard, catching the hooded man's sword and knocking it from his grip. She swiftly kicked him in the gut, tears spilling freely down her cheeks and with a wrangled cry she ran his sword through the attackers chest, and a puff of red smoke exploded from him. His enchanted armor had disappeared, and a thin-faced Altmer lay slumped against the wall, gasping for his last breath.

"F-for Dagon…" he wheezed, and then his head went limp.

Jhehnna spun around and knelt beside the dying Emperor, dropping her sword and taking his wrinkled hand.

"U-Uriel," she whispered, feeling a sadness she did not wish to feel. "You knew it all along, and did nothing to change it, you bastard!"

"It was my destiny, Jhehnna. Child…" Uriel reached up and stroked Jhehnna's cheek one last time, before laying his head back and closing his eyes.

"I have faith in you."

The Emperor died, and Jhehnna became overwhelmed with grief, clutching the man's hand and weeping loudly. After several minutes the last remaining blade came running over to her, crying out when he saw the Emperor.

"He's dead! What—"

"H-He knew he would be killed here, he s-said it was his destiny."

Baurus sighed, and ran his bloodstained glove through his hair, sweating in his stuffy armor. "What do we do next? Our emperor is dead and he has no heirs."

Jhehnna finally managed to stand up, after gently stroking Uriel's brow and murmuring a prayer for his soul to be at peace.

"He told me," Jhehnna began, wiping at her dirty face. "He told me to go to Weynon Priory, and find a man called Jauffre."

"Jauffre?" Baurus replied, surprised to hear his captains name. "He is our Grandmaster, of the blades. I am Baurus; I was assigned to protect the Emperor. When Jauffre hears I have failed…"

"You did not fail, despite…despite what happened, I don't think we could have done anything to change it." Jhehnna sighed, she felt utterly exhausted and alert at the same time, and it was a confusing mixture.

"Well all we can do now is what he asked, do you know why he said to go to Weynon?"

"He gave me this," Jhehnna replied quietly, producing the Amulet of Kings, and Baurus's eyes widened. "He said, 'tell Jauffre Martin will be in danger'."

"He gave _you _the Amulet of Kings? He must know something we don't."

"He said something about saving Cyrodiil…Oblivion…"

"Well you better get to Weynon right away then."

"What happened to the other man?" Jhehnna looked up, meeting the Blade's gaze.

"Glenroy has…fallen…I will stay here, take this." Baurus handed her a silver key and a torch. "It will unlock the sewers, make your way out and be to Weynon Priory as soon as you can."

"This is Renault's Katana, you might want it."

"Thank you, yes, I will return it to a place of honor."

"Goodbye Baurus."

"Goodbye for now Jhehnna, I have a feeling we'll be seeing each again someday."

* * *

><p>Jhehnna reached the end of the tunnel without a scratch. She had only encountered several large and ugly rats, as well as crabs and two goblins; which had been no match for a fighter such as herself, even one with nothing more than a rusty sword and a torch. She had become slightly disgruntled however, by the labyrinth of the sewers, and had gotten lost and confused several times before finding the right set of stairs that led her out of the cursed place; a scowl on her dirt smudged face. She stepped out into a bright sunny area, squinting against the light that assaulted her eyes; she felt them water, and was forced to wait impatiently for several moments until they had adjusted. Below the little grassy hill she stood on laid a small body of water and an old wooden dock, and beyond that one of Cyrodiil's many ruins. Deciding she needed to equip her self with something considerably descent before making her way to the Priory, Jhehnna walked down the hill and around the dock, wading into the refreshingly cool water. She swam the short distance to the other side, dunking her head under once so she could rid her body of some of the grime that had built up from being in the filthy prison, and climbed out onto the grass.<p>

When she reached the side of the building Jhehnna glimpsed the makings of a camp, and went into a crouch, moving silently towards it. The first bandit was disposed of easily, but the second one had been alerted of her presence and put up a fight.

She removed all items she deemed useful from their corpses and the woman's armor, moving over to the small tent and quickly changing from her soaking rags into the worn but sturdy steel attire.

Having a quick bite to eat from what provisions she gathered at the camp, Jhehnna found a leather satchel and stuffed it with whatever she could find, until she was satisfied she'd be okay for the trip. Baurus had given her vague directions to Weynon Priory, and it was a place Jhehnna had never been before, but she knew Cyrodiil quite well and did not worry about losing her way. She traveled Northwest until nightfall, where she made a small campfire and spread out a bedroll in a well-hidden area.

The trip proved uneventful, Jhehnna encountered many people along the way, and some were friendly and spoke briefly with her. But the Nord was in no mood for idle chatter, nor was she ever in the mood for much talking at all, and they would go their separate ways shortly after greeting her. There were also an abundance of enemies, which meant Jhehnna was always ready for a fight, and she walked so quietly it was usually _her _that surprised people and beast, and not the other way around. She traveled on the main road that swept around the Imperial City, the heart of Cyrodiil, and branched off to the other cities; eventually taking the road that would lead her to Chorrol. However the Nord was a little less relaxed on this trip, due to the information she knew surrounding the Emperor's death, the fact that the enemy probably knew her, and the Amulet of Kings that nearly burned through her pocket, it was very stressful to be carrying such cargo. Her nights were rather restless, she never slept for very long because she heard strange noises and would wake with a start, desperately reaching for the sword tucked under her pillow.

Thankfully the weather had stayed relatively nice the duration of her travels, there had been a light sprinkling of rain one morning until around the afternoon, when the gloomy gray skies parted and the sun shone bright and full for the rest of the day. Jhehnna loved traveling through Cyrodiil, it was something she enjoyed more than anything else, and she _loved_ to fight. It took quite a bit longer than she had hoped, but without a horse with which to travel faster and longer each day, walking took much more time, but eventually she neared the city of Chorrol. Jhehnna thought it was a pretty little city, which she didn't think things were _pretty _very often, but she liked Chorrol. It's trees and open concept were always inviting to Jhehnna, and she liked to think that if she ever settled down someday she'd probably buy a quaint little house here and live by her self, enjoying the last of her life. She neared a Dark Elf man on the cobblestone road and decided it was time to ask where the Priory was located, and called out to him; remembering the Dunmer who had taunted her in the Imperial Prison, and trying not to look displeased at the elf.

"Can I help you?" The man asked, eying the woman. She looked like a warrior, and stared at him with unusual eyes. She said nothing for a moment, but continued to stare at him, and he became uncomfortable, fidgeting nervously.

"Do you know where Weynon Priory is?" Jhehnna asked slowly, her eyes never leaving the man's face. She wanted to be sure that she did not raise suspicion, a strange Nord woman asking about the Priory, she didn't look religious in any way.

"Yeah…." The Dunmer replied. "It's right up the road, to the right of Chorrol, you can't miss it."

Jhehnna thanked the man and continued until she found a small cluster of buildings that she assumed must be the Priory, wondering with a scowl on her face why she hadn't known about it before, and thinking that she should have known. She walked down the small slope towards the first building and was stopped by a man leading a bay colored horse.

"Hail stranger, who might you be looking for?"

"I am looking for Jauffre, I was told he resides here."

"You are right, head into that first building and someone will be happy to assist you."

"Thanks," Jhehnna replied quickly, making her way into the building she had been going towards in the first place. She wanted to be out of the open, knowing what precious item she held on her. Entering the main room she faced a set of staircases and quickly ascended to the second floor, taking a chance and going right instead of left when she reached two different directions to take. Looking around her, she spotted an older man dressed in the robes that associated him as being a monk, and his hair was in the typical fashion as well. He had noticed Jhehnna the moment she reached the top of the steps, and had not said anything until she spotted him, sitting behind a desk at the end of the long room.

"Who are you?" The man asked, his eyes narrowing slightly. "What business do you have here?"

Jhehnna walked forward, stopping in front of his desk, and looked down at the man, who was Imperial as far as she could tell. He was much older than her, maybe in his late forties, and what hair he had on his head that had not been shaved was completely gray.

"I was sent here, by the late Uriel Septim. You might be interested in this." Jhehnna reached into her pocket and produced the necklace Uriel had given to her, blinking back tears, as the memory of his death was still fresh in her mind.

"That is the Amulet of Kings…" Jauffre began, and he looked back up at the strange woman with a mixture of shock and confusion. "How did you get this? Explain yourself!"

"He gave it to me before he died. He said… take this to Jauffre in Weynon Priory, tell him that Martin…is in danger."

"You witnessed his assassination? Martin? In danger?"

"Are you Jauffre?" Jhehnna didn't wish to keep speaking with the monk if he wasn't who she was looking for, and she went to put the amulet back in her pocket.

"Yes I am him, but why would the Emperor send you? Who are you?"

"I am nobody of importance, he said he dreamt that we would meet and I would save the world from the jaws of Oblivion… whatever that means. My name is Jhehnna."

"Well Jhehnna… the Emperor must have deep faith in you to give a complete stranger the Amulet of Kings—"

"Who is Martin?" Jhehnna interrupted him, needing to know whom the man was. "This person must be important, and if he is in danger…"

"Martin is Uriel's illegitimate son."

Jhehnna stared at the monk, her eyes making him uncomfortable as she determined whether he was being serious or not.

"So… Uriel had a son that no one knows about. What does that have to do with me?" Jhehnna placed the amulet on the table and Jauffre picked it up, inspecting the bright red jewel.

"I do not know what it means for sure, but all of Uriel's sons are dead, there are no more remaining heirs to take the throne. He must be protected so that Martin can become the Emperor and light the Dragonfires." Jauffre looked back up at Jhehnna with a grave expression.

"Where is this Martin?"

"He is in Kvatch. Martin became a priest of Akatosh, and stays in the temple."

"I will go get him then, and bring him here?"

"Please, that would be very kind of you." Jhehnna nodded, brushing her white hair back, and turned to leave.

"Oh and Jhehnna?" The woman stopped and glanced back at him.

"Be careful with how you tell him, if he is curious to know why you want to take him here, which I know he will be. Be…sensitive."

"Okay." And the stranger girl left, disappearing down the stairs and back outside, walking down the path with determined steps.


End file.
